Duinnín i Lios Dúin Bhearna (tuilleadh)

Dineen in Lisdoonvarna (continued)

• “Níl… ‘

  Bhí Mrs. Hudson ag faire amach don Dr. Bhatson agus don Duinníneach agus d’fháiltigh sí rompu le geallúint go mbeadh muifíní don tae.

  ”Bhfuil sé féin istigh?’ arsa Watson.

  “Tá. Agus é chomh sásta lena bhfaca tú riamh, ag ól a phíopa os comhair na tine agus ag gáiri ó am go chéile.’

  ‘Caithfidh gur aimsigh sé tuairisc bháis George Tavistock, mar sin,’ arsa an Duinníneach. ‘Agus san aige, ba leor, mar mhéar eolais dó, gur iarras air é.”
  

  ‘No…’
  Mrs. Hudson watching for Dr. Watson and Dineen and she welcomed them with the promise of muffins for tea.

  ‘Is himself inside?’ said Watson.

  ‘Yes. And he was as happy as you ever saw, smoking his pipe in front of the fire and laughing from time to time.’

  ‘Then it must be that he must have found an account of George Tavistock’s death,’ said Dineen, ‘And having that, it was enough, as a marker of knowledge for him, that he had asked for.’

  fáiltigh	welcome
  geallúint = gealltanas	promise	n

• ‘Ní thuigim!’ arsa Bhatson go crosta agus iad ag dreapadh an staighre, Mrs. Hudson sna sála orthu.

  ‘“Mharaigh Mrs. Tavistock a céile, George,’ arsa an Duinníneach. ‘Mo leithscéal, a Bhatson, shíleas go raibh san soiléir . . .

  Chaith[??] Mrs. Hudson doras an tseomra ar oscailt. Lean sí an Duinníneach agus an Dr. Bhatson isteach agus chuaigh sí i mbun oibre ag leagadh boird don tae.

  ‘I don’t understand!’ said Watson crossly as they climbed the stairs, Mrs. Hudson on their heels.

  ‘Mrs. Tavistock kelled her husband, George,’ said Dineen. ‘My apologies, Watson, I thought that was obvious.’

  Mrs. Hudson threw open the door to the room. She followed Dineen and Dr. Watson in and went to attend to setting the table for tea

  sáil	heel	f npl sála
  soiléir	Clear, distinct; plain, obvious
  leag	Knock down; Lay, set

• ‘A leithéid de phéire cú fola!’ arsa Searbhlach agus a phíopa a chrochadh san aer aige le bréagómós. ‘Sheolas amach faoin mbaile sibh chun an rún a bhain le dhá chorpá bhaineanna a scaoileadh[??] agus beireann sibh corpán fireann ar ais chugam!”

  ‘Braithim gur ceap magaidh mé ag an mbeirt agaibh,’ arsa Bhatson.

  ‘Such a pair of bloodhounds!’ said Sherlock, his pipe hanging in the air with mocking respect. ‘I sent you out into town to solve the mystery of two female corpses and you bring a male corpse back to me.’

  ‘I feel that you both were mocking me,’ said Watson.

  ómós	Homage; reverence, respect	m
  scaoileadh	Loosening, undoing; release, discharge; Firing, discharge

• 
  ‘Tch! Tch!’ arsa Mrs. Hudson ón gcúlráid.

  ‘Suígí!’ arsa de Hoilm. ‘Ón uair[??] gur tusa an cuairteoir, a Dhuinninigh, agatsa an chéad deis chun an scéal a mhíniú do Bhatson.”
  ‘B’fhearr go dtabharfása tuairisc ar bhás George Tavistock duinn i dtosach, a Shearbhlaigh.’

  Thóg de Hoilm péire spéaclai as a phóca agus léigh sé alt a bhí gearrtha amach as nuachtán aige agus coinnithe ina [d.l. 220] chomhad tagartha.

  ‘Tsk! Tsk!’ said Mrs. Hudson from the background.

  ‘Sit down!’ said Holmes. ‘Since you are the visitor, Dineen, you have the first chance to explain the situation to Watson.’

  ‘It would be better if you gave us an account of the death of George Tavistock first, Sherlock.’

  Holmes took a pair of glasses from his pocket and read an article he had cut out of a newspaper and kept in his reference file.

  comhad	Cover; protection, keeping; file	m
  tagartha	reference	a

• ‘Breith an choiste chróinéara nd go bhfuair George Tavistock bás de thimpist. Le fada, bhí sé ag cuimhneamh ar cheird a athar a fhoghlaim. Bhí an trealamh ar fad san áiléar aige. Nuair a fuair pearóid Mrs. Tavistock bás, thapaigh sé an deis. Chuaigh sé i mbun oibre. Ach ní raibh lámh ar an gceird aige. Nior thuig sé go raibh arsanaic sna meascáin éagsúla a deineadh [var past aut]le linn ré a athar. Bhí nimh á caitheamh thart san áiléar sin aige gan cúram a dhéanamh. Fuarthas dóthain arsanaic sa dusta chun duine a leagan amach. Rinne sé an phearóid a leasú, cé gur bhraith sé breoite i dtreo dheireadh an tsaothair. Mar gur bhraith sé breoite, chaith sé níos mó ama san áiléar ós rud é nach raibh sé ag dul chun na hoifige. [….]

  ‘The coroner’s committee ruled that George Tavistock died by accident. For a long time, he was thinking of learning his father’s trade. He had all the equipment in his attic. When Mrs. Tavistock’s parrot died, he quickly grasped the opportunity. He went to work. But he didn’t have a hand in/the skill of the craft. He did not understand that there was arsenic in the various mixtures made during his father’s time. He was throwing poison around in that attic without taking a care. Enough arsenic was found in the dust to knock a person out. He preserved the parrot, although he felt sick towards the end of the work. Because he felt sick, he spent more time in the attic since he was not going to the office [….]

  cuimhneamh	Remembrance; recollection, thought	m
  ceird	Trade, craft; occupation	f
  trealamh	Equipment, gear; (pl.) articles of equipment, appliances	m
  áiléar	Loft, attic; Gallery	m
  tapaigh	Quicken; grasp quickly
  i mbun	attending to, engaged in, abiding by
  meascán	Mass, lump; Mixture; jumble, muddle	m gs npl meascáin
  leasú	Amendment, improvement; reform, redress; Cure, preservation	m
  saothar	Work, labour; toil, exertion; stress, effort	m
  breoite	Sick, ailing
  ós rud	since

• [….]Tugadh George Tavistock chun ospidéil. Cailleadh ann é. Deineadh scrúdú iarbháis air agus fuarthas amach go raibh sé ar snámh in arsanaic. Ar ndóigh, thit amhras ar a chéile ach ní raibh aon chuis, gurbh eol d’éinne é, go maródh sí a fear céile. Nuair a deineadh taighde ar a raibh ar siúl ag George Tavistock roimh a bhás, thángthas ar an seomra oibre san ailéar agus ar na meascáin nimhneacha. “D’fhéadfadh sé tréad eilifinti a bhalsamú leis an méid den táirge a chaith sé ar an bpearóid,” a dúirt saineolaí. B’é breith an choiste chróinéara na go bhfuair sé bás de mhíthapa agus d’iarr siad go gcuirfí aguisín le tuairisc na cúirte ag iarraidh ar dhaoine gan substaintí baolacha a choinneáil ina dtithe.’

  [….]George Tavistock was taken to hospital. He died there. An autopsy was done and it was found that he was swimming in arsenic. Of course, suspicion fell on his spouse but there was no reason, that was known to anyone, that she would kill her husband. When investigating what George Tavistock was doing before his death, the workroom in the attic was found and the poisonous mixtures. “He could embalm a herd of elephants with the amount of product he spent on the parrot,” an expert said. It was the judgement of the coroner’s jury that he died by accident and they asked that an addendum be added to the court report asking people not to keep dangerous substances in their homes.’

  tréad	Flock, herd; congregation; band, community	m
  balsamaigh	embalm	vn balsamú
  táirge	product	m
  saineolaí	Specialist, expert	m
  aguisín	Addition, addendum	m

• ‘Chíonn tú, ar ndóigh, a Bhatson, an dearmad a dhein na poilíní,’ arsa an Duinníneach go cineálta. ‘Ghlac siad leis nach raibh taithí ag George ar an gceird, go raibh sé ag déanamh aithrise ar a athair, gur úsáid sé ceimicí a bhí fágtha ar na seilfeanna ó laethanta Jeremiah. Faoi na coinníollacha san, d’fhéadfadh duine é féin a mharú, de thimpist, go héasca … Ach, ta a fhios againne nár thosaitheoir é George. Bhí stuif leis [d.l. 221] in árasán “Squiers” a nglacfaí leis mar shaothar Jeremiah. B’í a bhean chéile a bhog amach na buidéil a bhí in úsáid aige agus na créatuiri ar dhein sé pulcadh orthu, nár fhág ach an phearóid agus seanbhuidéal nimhe … agus cat narbh fhéidir lei é a shroichint. Is dócha gur chraith sí dusta arsanaic ar an urlár freisin.’
  

  ‘You see, of course, Watson, the error made by the police,’ Dineen said kindly. ‘They assumed that George had no experience in the craft, that he was imitating his father, that he used chemicals left on the shelves from the days of Jeremiah. Under those conditions, a person could kill himself, by accident, easily…. But, we know that George was not a beginner. He had stuff in “Squiers” apartment that would be accepted as Jeremiah’s work. It was his wife who moved out the bottles he used and the creatures he stuffed, who left only the parrot and an old bottle of poison… and a cat she couldn’t reach. She probably also scattered arsenic dust on the floor.’

  Chíonn = feic	see
  cineálta	kind; pleasant, mild
  ceird	Trade, craft; occupation	f
  taithí	Frequentation, resort; Habit; practice, experience	f
  aithris	narration; imitation
  coinníoll	Condition, stipulation; Covenant, pledge; word of honor; diligence.	m plcoinníollacha
  tosaitheoir	beginner	m
  pulc	stuff, gorge	v
  crait = croit	shake; sprinkle, scatter

• ‘Is isteach trína chraiceann a chuaigh an arsanaic,’ arsa Bhatson. ‘Cén chaoi go bhféadfadh sí arsanaic a leathadh air?’

  “Míle bealach,’ arsa an Duinníneach go brónach.

  “Míle slí,’ a d’aontaigh Searbhlach de Hoilm.

  ‘Fiú dé mbeadh an ceart agaibh agus gur eagraigh céile George Tavistock a bhás, ní fheicim gur féidir libh é sin a cheangal le bás Louisa agus Philomena Burr,’ arsa Bhatson.

  ‘Féach air seo,’ arsa an Duinníneach, agus leag sé cóip de theastas pósta ar an mbord.

  “Phós Burr agus baintreach Tavistock?’ arsa Bhatson agus ionadh air.

  ‘Phós, mí i ndiaidh do George bás a fhail.’

  “Ach phós sé Louisa agus Philomena ina dhiaidh sin.’

  ‘Caithfidh tú meon an amhrais a chothú, a Bhatson, mas mian leat a bheith id bhleachtaire,’ arsa de Hoilm.

  ‘The arsenic went in through his skin,’ said Watson. ‘How could she spread arsenic on him?’

  ‘A thousand ways,’ said Dineen sorrowfully.

  ‘A thousand ways,’ agreed Sherlock Holmes.

  ‘Even if you were right and George Tavistock’s wife arranged his death, I don’t see that you can connect that with the death of Louisa and Philomena Burr,’ said Watson.

  ‘Look at this,’ said Dineen, and He laid a copy of a marriage certificate on the table.

  ‘Burr and Tavistock’s widow were married?’ said Watson with surprise.

  ‘Married, a month after George died.’

  ‘But he married Louisa and Philomena after that.’

  ‘You have to cultivate a skeptical mind, Watson, if you have the desire to be a detective,’ said Holmes,

  leathadh	Spreading, spread; diffusion, scattering, broadcasting
  aontaigh	unit; agree, assent
  eagraigh	Arrange, organize
  meon	Mind, disposition; character, temperament	m
  amhras	doubt; skepticism	m gs amhrais
  cothú	Nourishment, sustenance; promotion, maintenance

• ‘I gcead duit, a Athair, míneoidh mé cúrsaí do Bhatson atá rómhuiníneach as a chomhdhaoine don cheird atá roghnaithe aige … Mar seo a tharla, a Bhatson: Thit Mrs. George i ngrá le Burr. Bhí Burr le díshealbhú ag George. Dob ionann sin agus deireadh le Burr mar dhochtúir faiseanta. Mharaigh sí George agus phós sí Burr. Anois bhí seomraí agus bheith istigh oiriúnach ag Burr, ach ní raibh aon airgead aige. Ni raibh aon airgead ag Mrs. George ach oiread . .. seachas cios Shraid Bennett, nach mbeadh á ioc feasta. Dá bhfanfadh Mrs. George sa chúlráid .. . dá bpósfadh Burr bean shaibhir nach mbeadh saolach . . . [d.l. 222]

  ‘With your permission, Father, I will explain matters to Watson who is too trusting of his fellow men for the trade he has chosen … As this happened, Mrs. George fell in love with Burr. Burr was to be evicted by George. That would be the same as the end of Burr as a fashionable doctor. She killed George and married Burr. Now Burr had rooms and a suitable lodgings for Burr, but he had no money. Mrs. George had no money either. .. except the Bennett Street rent, which would not be paid any more. If Mrs. George would stay in the background, if Burr would marry a woman who was not long-lived… ‘

  muiníneach	trusting, confiding in, reliant on
  díshealbú	Dispossession, eviction	m
  dob = b’ = ba
  ionann	Same, identical; alike, equal
  oiriúnach	Suitable, fittin
  ach oiread	either
  feasta	From now on, henceforth, (with neg.) no more, not any more
  saolach	Long-lived

• Bhí an chuma ar Bhatson narbh fhéidir leis glacadh leis an leagan amach seo ar an scéal.

  ‘Nár bhraith tú agus tú sa teach ar Shraid Bennett go raibh taibhse díobhálach éigin sa teach? B’i Mrs. George an taibhse sin. Chasadh sí le Burr in árasán “Squiers”. D’éirigh siad míchúramach agus d’fhág siad rianta ina ndiaidh, ach chuir Mrs. Brown i leith Mrs. Green iad.’

  ‘Cá bhfios duit nárbh i Mrs. Green faoi ndear iad?’

  ‘Ni aimseoidh éinne Mrs. Green riamh. Mrs. George Tavistock féin a thagadh i riocht “Mrs. Green”.

  Watson seemed unable to accept this version of the story.

  Didn’t you feel when you were in the house on Bennett Street that there was some harmful ghost in the house? That ghost was Mrs. George. She used to meet Burr in “Squiers” apartment. They became careless and left traces behind, but Mrs. Brown attributed them to Mrs. Green.

  ‘How do you know that Mrs. Green did not notice them?’

  ‘No one will ever find Mrs. Green. Mrs. George Tavistock herself used to come in the guise of “Mrs. Green”’

  díobhálach	harmful, injurious
  míchúramach	careless
  rianta	Marked out; prepared, ready; Completed, settled; accomplished
  rian	course, path; mark, trace, track	m pl rianta
  i leith	in the direction of
  Cuir i leith	attribute, impute, to; charge with

• “Mrs. George a mharaigh Louisa agus Philomena, dar leat?”

  ‘Níl fianaise ar fáil, ach samhlaím gur phlab Mrs. George doras an tsiléir ar Louisa agus gur imir sí cleas an mhadra ar Philomena.’

  ‘Cad é cleas an mhadra?’ arsa Mrs. Hudson agus gréithre á gcur ar an mbord aici.

  “Míneoidh an Dr. Bhatson duit é,’ arsa na Duinníneach. ‘Silím go mbeidh ormsa imeacht anois.’

  “Rachaidh tú ar thraein an bháid anocht?’ a d’fhiafraigh de Hoilm.

  ‘B’fhearr dom Lios Duin Bhearna a bhaint amach sula n-aimseoidh an Dr. Burr bean bhaoth shaibhir éigin eile.’

  ‘Mrs. George killed Louisa and Philomena, you think?’

  ‘No evidence is available, but I imagine that Mrs. George slammed the cellar door on Louisa and played the dog trick on Philomena’

  ‘What dog trick?’ said Mrs. Hudson while putting dishes on the table

  ‘Dr. Watson will explain it to you,’ said Dineen. ‘I think I have to go now.’

  ‘Will you go on the boat train tonight?’ asked Holmes.

  ‘I’d better get to Lisdoonvara before Burr finds some other foolish rich woman.

  gréithre = gréithe	Valuables; presents; Ware; crockery
  baoth	Foolish; Vain, giddy

• ‘Ach céard faoi Mrs. George, an dúnmharfóir, an bhean atá pósta i ndáirire ar an Dr. Burr?’ arsa Bhatson.

  ‘Cuirfidh mé Lucitt as Scotland Yard ar an eolas,’ arsa de Hoilm, ‘ach ní gá bheith buartha go ndéanfadh sí dochar d’éinne eile seachas don chéad bhean eile a “phósfaidh” Burr . . . Déarfar leis na póilíní i Lios Duin Bhearna cuidiú leat, a Dhuinninigh, má bhíonn cabhair uait.

  ’
  “Tabharfaidh mé an tae chugaibh anois,’ arsa Mrs. Hudson.

  Nuair a thainig sí aníos an staighre ar ball, áfach, le muifíní [d.l. 223]
  te, ar sileadh le him, bhí an Duinníneach imithe leis, abhaile go hEirinn,

  ‘But what about Mrs. George, the murderer, the woman who is actually married to Dr. Burr?’ said Watson.
  ‘I will inform Lucitt of Scotland Yard,’ said Holmes, ‘but there is no need to worry about her harming anyone besides the next woman Burr “marries” . . . The police in Lisdoonvarna will be told to help you, Dineen, if you need help.’

  ‘I will bring you the tea now,’ said Mrs. Hudson
  ‘When she came upstairs after a while, however, with warm muffins, Dineen had gone home to Ireland

  buartha	Sorry, sorrowful; vexed, perturbed
  dochar	Harm; hurt, injury; loss, distress	m

• Lios Duin Bhearna

  Bhí an spá ag cur thar maoil le cuairteoirí, ón uair go raibh an séasúr faoi lán seoil. D’ól an Duinníneach uisce an spá mar phionós ar a chuid cleasaíochta, Dá mb’ait le huaisle agus le feirmeoiri teanna, sagart beag le súile géara a bheith suite leis féin sa bhialann agus gach aon rud agus gach éinne á iniúchadh aige, ghlacadar leis mar chomhartha ar na hathruithe móra a bhí ar Éirinn.

  Lisdoonvarna

  The spa was overflowing with visitors, since the season was in full swing. Dineen drank the water of the spa as punishment for his trickery. If it was a place for nobles and strong farmers, a small priest with sharp eyes sitting by himself in the restaurant inspecting everything and everyone, they accepted it as a sign of the great changes that were taking place in Ireland.

  seol	sail	m gs seoil
  faoi lán seoil	“in full swing”/ lit. “under full sail”
  pionós	Penalty, punishment	m
  cleasaíocht	(Act of) playing, tricking; playfulness, trickery	f gs cleasaíochta
  ait	Pleasant, likeable; Fine, excellent/td>
  iniúchadh	scrutiny; audit
  comhartha	sign; mark, symbol	m
  athrú	change, alteration; variation	pl athruithe

• Bhi seastán ag cara an Duinnínigh, Gobnait Ní Bhruadair, i lár an bhaile, ar an gcearnóg, agus táirgí óna feirm shamplach ar díol ann. Bhí bileoga, clóite sa cheardlann a bhunaigh sí féin, á ndáileadh d’fhonn spreagadh a chur i muintir na tire go mbeidís tionsclach — tagairtí ar leith iontu do choirceoga beach agus do chniotail.

  Dineen’s friend, Deborah Ní Bhrudair, had a stand in the center of town, on the square, with products from her model farm for sale. There were leaflets, printed in the workshop she set up herself, being distributed in order to encourage the people of the country to be industrious – with specific references in them to bee hives and knitting.

  beach

  seastán	stand	mf
  cearnóg	square
  táirge	product	m pl táirgí
  samplach	Exemplifying, typical, sample
  dáileadh	Apportionment, distribution; bestowal	m
  fonn	base; foundation; Desire, wish, inclination, urge …..
  spreagadh	Urging, incitement; incentive, encouragement; excitation, stimulus	m
  tionsclach	industrious
  tagairt	Reference, allusion	f pl tagairtí
  coirceog	hive	coirceoga
  beach	bee	f gpl
  D’fhonn	with a view to, in order to

• ‘Tá coimhéad cruaidh á choinneáil ar do mharc’, ar sise. ‘Casfaidh mé leat san Imperial ar ball. Tae beag an trathnóna, thart ar a ceathair. Má fhágaim an bheirt rascal seo i mbun gnó, cuirfidh siad gach rud trí chéile . .

  Rinne na rascail gáire.

  ‘Níl do chara luaite nó pósta, go fóill ar aon nós, cé go bhfuiltear ann a deir go bhfuil beirthe air.’

  Chuaigh an Duinníneach chuig an Dochtúir Burr agus tinneas goile le gearán aige. Niorbh áibhéil amach is amach é mar níl raibh cleachtadh ag an Duinníneach ar bhéilí móra saibhre agus uisce urghráinniúil an spá.
  

  ‘It’s hard to keep track of your target’, she said. ‘I’ll meet you at the Imperial later. Small tea in the afternoon, around four o’clock. If I leave these two rascals in charge of the business, they will confuse everything.’

  The rascals laughed.

  ‘Your friend is not engaged or married, yet anyway, although it is said that there are two people with him.

  Dineen went to Doctor Burr with a complaint of a stomach ache. He was not out and out exaggerating as Dineen was not used to the big rich meals or the horrible water of the spa.

  coimhéad	Watch, guard; Watching, observation	m
  cruaidh = cruach	stack; pile	f
  cruaidh = crua	hard
  marc	Target, goal	m
  goile	stomach	m
  gearán	complaint	m
  áibhéil	Act of) exaggerating; exaggeration	f
  cleachtadh	Habit, wont; Practice, experience
  urghráiniúil	Loathsome; frightful.

• Bhí beirt sa seomra feithimh roimhe, fear ar mhaidí croise agus bean leis na comarthaí sóirt a bhí á lorg ag an Duinníneach. Bhí sí meánaosta, neart óir uirthi, i gléasta sa bhfaisean. [d.l. 224] D’fhéach sé go géar ar a haghaidh. Bhí teoiric ag an Duinnín each gurbh fhéidir a léamh ar aghaidh mná pé acu an raibh grá fir aici, nó nach raibh. Bhí lámhainní uirthi ach leagfadh sé geall nach raibh fáinní a gceilt acu.

  Lorg sé goirme éigin ar na beola, luisne éigin ar na leicne a thabharfadh le fios go raibh fadhbanna croí aici ach, faraor, chinn air aon ní a léamh mar go raibh sí smidte go faíoch.

  There were two people in the waiting room before him, a man on crutches and a woman with the sort of signs that Dineen was looking for. She was middle-aged, plenty of gold, fashionably dressed. He looked sharply at her face. Dineen had a theory that it was possible to read on a woman’s face whether she loved a man or not. She was wearing gloves but he would bet they were not concealing rings.

  He looked for some blue on the lips, some blush on the cheeks that would indicate to him that she had heart problems but, alas, he failed to read anything because she was made up so heavily.

  f npl

  Seomra feithimh	waiting room
  maide croise	crutch
  neart	Strength; force, power	m
  luisne	blush, glow	f
  leica	cheek	leicne
  faraor	alas
  cinn	step; surpass, overcome, Fix, determine, decree	v
  smid	make up	v
  faíoch	Loud, plaintive; Free, fluent; copious, profus

• Glaodh isteach ar fhear na leathchoise. Nuair nach raibh sa seomra ach an Duinníneach agus an bhean aonair, chuir sé spéic uirthi.

  ‘An é seo an chéad uair duit i Lios Duin Bhearna, a bhean uasal?”

  ‘Ní hea go deimhin, a Athair,’ ar sise i gcanúint na háite. ‘Táim pósta ar an mbainisteoir bainc in Inis Díomáin. Bhain mé searradh as mo rúitín agus mé ar cuairt ar m’iníon atá pósta anseo ar an mbaile.’

  Thuig an Duinníneach nach raibh greim ar an gcoinín ceart aige an uair seo.
  

  The one-legged man was called in. When there was only Dineen and the lone woman in the room, he addressed her.

  ‘Is this your first time in Lisdoonvarna, Madam?

  ‘No indeed, Father,’ she said in the local dialect. ‘I am married to the bank manager in Ennisdom. I twisted my ankle while visiting my daughter who is married here in town

  Dineen realized he did not have a grip on the right rabbit at this time.

  searradh	stretchinng
  rúitín	ankle

• ‘Tuigim nach bhfuil anseo inniu ach dochtúir cúnta, Sasanach éigin,’ ar seisean.

  “Ach tá dea-cháil air. Bhí sé linn anuraidh agus an Dochtuir Duane ar saoire.’

  ‘Chuala san. Chuala freisin gur thit sé i ngrá anseo anuraidh, bean ón áit is dócha? Tá cáil ar mhná an Chláir as a gcuid scéimhe.’

  ‘Tá cheana, ach ní Cláirineach mná a phós sé, a Athair, ach baintreach bheag éidreorach éigin de bhunadh Sasanach a bhí anseo ag déanamh cúraim dá sláinte. Tá sé ráite go mbíodh sí ag cumadh filíochta, nó a leithéid.’

  ‘Chuala gur cailleadh ó shin í.’

  ‘I understand that here today is only a substitute doctor, some Englishman,’ he said.

  ‘But he has a good reputation. He was with us last year while Doctor Duane was on vacation.’

  ‘Heard that. Also heard he fell in love here last year, probably a woman from this place? Clare women have a reputation for beauty.’

  ‘Indeed, but he did not marry a Clare woman, Father, but the woman he married was not a cleared woman, but a small, lonely widow of English origin who was here taking care of her health.’

  ‘It is said that she used to compose poetry, or something like that.’

  ‘Heard she since died.’

  dea-cháil	Good reputation	f
  cáil	reputation
  scéimh	beauty	f gs scéimhe
  éidreorach	Shiftless, helpless; feeble, puny; paltry
  cum	form, shap; devise; invent; make up; limit	vn cumadh

• ‘Cé gur dea-theist ar dhochtúir é trua a bheith aige don lag, [d.l. 225] bhead sé níos fearr agus cailín tuaithe a phósadh. Ní bhíonn aon teacht aniar sna ladies ón cathair. Cuireann an rud is lú den saol iad.
  <br

  Although it is a good report of a doctor to have compassion for the weak, [d.l. 225] it would be better to marry a country girl. There is no resilience in the ladies from the city. The least thing in life puts them off.

  dea-theist	Good report, repute

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